I have to admit that autumn sometimes leaves me feeling a little beside myself. It’s truer this year because the weather has been beautiful, it’s been great to be outdoors as the landscape transforms, but the very dry conditions have made it a real challenge to capture beautiful images. Past experience tells me that trying too hard usually leads to failure. The picture needs to come to you. So looking for autumn landscapes I must often resign myself to photographing details to capture the color. Even so the dryness has resulted in colors that often seem muted which goes along with the dry crunch of leaves under foot as one explores a favorite path. So the day after day low autumn sun and the resulting bluer than blue skies continue to delight while causing one to wonder where the rivers are finding the water to keep flowing. Every autumn is comes and goes in it’s own way.

Leaves along the Big Darby, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

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Thankfully, as I look for that “autumn landscape”, my wife’s passion for butterflies and other things closer to the lens continues unabated as she contributes by capturing whimsical patterns in leaves . . .

America Basswood seeds, Griggs reservoir Park, (Donna).

Wingstem Seeds, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Milkweed goes to seed, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Leaves, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Patterns, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Reflections, Griggs Reservoir, (Donna).

Virginia Creeper, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Grass, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Prairie Grass, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

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. . . and the flurry of autumn insect activity.

Eastern Comma, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Pearl Crescent, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Buckeye, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Eastern-tailed Blue, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Familiar Bluet, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Yellow Jacket, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Red-spotted Purple, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, (Donna).

Virginia Ctenucha, backyard garden, (Donna).

We rescued this Wooly Bear Caterpillar (Isabella Tiger Moth) from the bike path and then spent some time observing its behavior. It’s deliberate movement would seem to indicate it was heading for a safe place to spend the winter. Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, (Donna).

Monarch, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, (Donna).

Meadow Fritillary, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Painted Lady, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Another view, (Donna).

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Over two weeks without appreciable rain, a blue sky, rocky shore, and clear water, Griggs Reservoir.

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An interesting inhabitant in the Scioto River below Griggs Dam this summer has been a solitary Hooded Merganser. It appears to have become part of an extended mallard family. While undoubtedly not that uncommon, it’s the first time we recall witnessing such behavior.

Hooded Merganser, Scioto River below Griggs Dam, (Donna).

Another view.

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We continue to see the other usual suspects, some with autumn color to give a sense of place.

White Breasted Nuthatch, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Immature Double-crested Cormorant, Griggs Reservoir, (Donna).

Male Downy Woodpecker, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Immature Cardinal, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Great Blue Heron, Griggs Reservoir, (Donna).

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Asters along the Big Darby, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

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While the autumn leaves may not be living up to expectation, fall wildflowers are doing their best to pick up the slack.

Asters, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Lit from behind, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Purple Asters

Phlox, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Asters look toward the sun, Griggs Reservoir Park.

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The dryness has made hunting for fungi more hunting than finding but we did come upon one extraordinary specimen that was more than 12 inches across.

A very large unidentified fungi, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Another look.

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Sunny weather is forecast for the next few days. With cool mornings and warm afternoons it continues to be a great time to be outdoors. If that perfect autumn landscape continues to elude it may be time to pick up the fly rod and head out in pursuit of a Small Mouth Bass. Though decisions!

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Big Darby Creek at sunrise, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

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Hopefully the area where you live has been blessed with late summer and early autumn rains that will result in beautiful fall colors and an autumn to remember. Thanks for stopping by.

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XXX

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Should you wish prints from various posts may be purchased at Purchase a Photo. If you don’t find it on the link drop us a line.

Nature unfolds and reveals itself like a flower, first reluctantly and then with grace. Armed with just a little curiosity, looking with intention, and allowing yourself to be in the moment and place, rewards one with new wonder. Seeing and appreciating more each time.

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In the past few days, still interested in finding warblers, we visited Prairie Oaks Metro Park and closer to home Griggs Reservoir Park in the hopes of seeing a few stragglers. With the exception of the Prothonotary, the warblers didn’t cooperate but fortunately other things did. Whether it’s warblers or “other things” we’re always amazed by the celebration of life this time of year and the beauty that’s often found in the ordinary. The pictures below were taken over just a few outings, typically involving walks of at least two or three miles, sometimes longer, as we search for birds, bugs, and plants. It is a source of continuous fascination that so much can be found so close to home in central Ohio.

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A shaft of light finds grass along a stream, Prairie Oaks Metro Park.

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It’s always nice when “the reptiles” decide to join the cast.

Next to the path a turtle acts none to happy about our presence, Prairie Oak Metro Park.

A Bullfrog shows a nice profile, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

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Still in “warbler mode” on a recent outing, we weren’t prepared for all the insects we would see.

Familiar Bluet, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

Inch Worm, (Donna).

Daddy Longlegs, (Donna)

Spicebush Swallowtail

Silver Spotted Skipper, Prairie Oaks Metro Park.

A very common Cabbage White, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Painted Lady, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

Virginia Ctenucha, Prairie Oaks Metro Park.

Viceroy, Prairie Oaks Metro Park.

Eight-spotted Forester Moth, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

Large Lace-boarder Moth, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Milkweed Beetle, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Silvery Checkerspot, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, (Donna).

Green Bee on Coneflower, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Hackberry Emperor, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

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Where there are bees and butterflies there will be wildflowers or maybe it’s the other way around.

Butterfly Weed, Griggs Reservoir Park.

In grassy areas and meadows English Plantain is everywhere, Griggs Reservoir Park is no exception.

Very small bees visit the very small flowers of the English Plantain.

Hairy Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis), Griggs Reservoir Park.

Black-eyed Susans, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Thimbleweed, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Early Meadow Rue, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).

Day Lily, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Goatsbeard, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Moth Mullein, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Chicory, Griggs Reservoir Park.

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While we were excited to see Prothonotary Warblers nesting so close to home there was no storage of other birds to fascinate.

We’d been seeing this nesting Prothonotary Warbler for a few weeks in Griggs Reservoir Park. We finally were able to get some pictures.

It must be nesting nearby because at one point it was observed taking food to it’s young.

Preening.

No spot is missed!

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is not common this time of year in Griggs reservoir Park.

A Downy Woodpecker making effective use of it’s tail, Griggs Reservoir Park.

Most of the pictures in this post are a result of my wife’s skill, tenacity, patience, and love of the small creatures that grace nature in central Ohio and so often go unnoticed. It wasn’t that long ago that I thought of insects as second class citizens. Wouldn’t you rather look at or take a picture of a warbler? Okay, many insects are essential to natures food chain, many are important for pollination, surprisingly few actually “Bug” us, but some are also amazing to watch.

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We hope you enjoy the following pictures and that you’ll also be excited to take a closer look. But be forewarned that unlike a beautiful sunset, a mountain landscape, or the spontaneous smile of a small child, these marvels must be pursued with intention to fully appreciate their wonder.

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Right in our backyard:

Black Swallowtail, (Donna)

Another view, (Donna)

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Not far from our backyard along Griggs Reservoir.

Coneflowers, (Donna)

Blue Vervain

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A very small butterfly.

Least skipper, (Donna)

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A moth, really? Judging from the number of pictures taken just to get a few good ones, it’s safe to say we got pretty excited. Not an uncommon moth but not often seen.